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Vol. 14, No. 38, Wednesday, August 14, 2019 www.LamontLeader.com
New phone app helps keep Lamont County realtors safe BY JOHN MATHER When Fort Saskatchewan realtor Jennifer Pollack went to show a property in Redwater recently, dogs from a neighbouring residence attacked her biting her arm and ripping her clothes. She also cracked her phone, dropped during the attack. It points out some of dangers faced by realtors as they go out to show properties. Now, the Alberta Real Estate Association has unveiled an app designed to keep realtors safer as they work in unfamiliar situations.“ The LifeLine Response app is an important tool in improving realtor safety,” said Alberta Real Estate Association chair Jennifer Gilbert. “Our association has contracted with Lifeline Response to be able to provide this tool to all of our 2,500 realtors in the province at no additional costs to their current membership dues,” added Gilbert. The app, she states is also available to the general public for a nominal cost. She said the Association had done research into a variety of safety apps for their realtors and chose Lifeline not
only because it reaches out to first responders, but realtors can develop their own network where they can program the system to reached out to friends and family should an accident occur. “It’s fast and friendly. It’s a great tool,” she said. “We’re quite often working in situations in an unfamiliar territory or with unfamiliar people. The app lets us use a thumbprint to call out for help or realtors can set a timing function for the system to send a call out.” With the thumbprint the realtor would keep their thumb on the phone screen and if contact is broken then a call for help is sent out. The realtor can also choose to set the timer so if they don’t call in after 30-minutes or what time limit they have set, then a call would automatically be sent out. “I can think of many scenarios where the system could work,” said Gilbert. “If a person is working alone at, say their cottage, and they have an accident … if they don’t report in then an alarm is sent out.” Mundare realtor Shannon Kowal has installed the app, but hasn’t used it yet.
“I’m playing with it and getting used to it,“ she said. “I do feel better having it.” She said prior to having the app, she always left the address of where she was going with her assistant or husband and when she was going. “They would be my contact, but with this app it’s just touching a button and you can get word out to get help.” She said the app is more user friendly and quicker, so it alerts all those people on your list who can help you.” Kowal added she’s never felt unsafe in showing any rural properties. “You take precautions but in the back of your mind you always know there’s the potential for problems.” AREA chairman Gilbert said while many focus on female safety, she looks at a bigger picture where people can be affected regardless of gender. “You look at stories of people meeting to sell a vehicle over the internet and they’re attacked,” she said. “The Lifeline app can get help quickly.” She said the Association moving forward to give realtors the app was based on proactive thinking, not a situation based on any particular incident.
Realtor Shannon Kowal from Mundare “Now, we had had some incidents, but we always promote realtor awareness of safety through a variety of podcasts, where we work with police departments and victim’s service units to make our realtors aware of dangers that are out there.” She adds realtors should always inform colleagues or friends when they are going to a showing. “This helps in a worse case scenario,” she said. “It has GPS tracking and can pinpoint your immediate locations.” She said since its introduction more than 800 realtors across the province have taken advantage of loading the app. Kowal agrees the real estate association does a good job in informing its members of how to take appropriate precautions as they work in rural areas.
Canadian Rockies Hemp fate rests with SDAB BY JOHN MATHER A decision on the fate of the Canadian Rockies Hemp decortation plant development in Bruderheim is now in the hands of the Lamont County Subdivision and Development Appeal Board with a verdict expected by August 26 at the latest. An appeal to the board by Bruderheim residents Ron and Shawna Ewasiuk was held Aug. 9 in the Lamont County building. In their appeal letter, the Ewasiuks stated they were appealing the
issuance of the development permit for the project citing “a lack of planning, coordination and consultation, and the overall lack of support we have received to date from the Town of Bruderheim.” They added that several studies should be completed including hydro geological reports, and Alberta government and municipal traffic impact assessment, and and Alberta government noise and light pollution assessment, and the Ewasiuks should be able to access the studies prior to their con-
sideration or approval of acceptance.” In concluding their letter, they asked all ground work and construction at the site cease until the approvals were completed. The town of Bruderheim, represented by town planner, Jane Dauphinee, contracted town engineer, Mike Dowhun, and Sherry Cote director of planning and legislative services for the town. Dauphinee started on behalf of Bruderheim by stating she felt the appeal was not an appealable situation.
“It’s the town’s opinion the development permit was issued for extensive agricultural use, which is a permitted use in the urban reserve district,” she stated. “No relaxation of the land use bylaw was granted.” She wondered, because of this, whether the board had the jurisdiction to hear the appeal. She went on to cite sections of the Alberta Municipal Act that lists some of the grounds for appeal. Continued on Page 10